Description
Added on the 14/11/2020 12:22:55 - Copyright : Wochit
Last week, US National Security Adviser Robert O'Brien said the US would reduce the number of US troops in Afghanistan from 4,500 down to 2,500 by year's end. O'Brien added that the drawdown would take place, regardless of the conditions on the ground. But on Sunday, America's most senior general publicly pushed back at O'Brien's remarks, calling them 'speculation.' Robert O'Brien, or anyone else, can speculate as they see fit, I am not going to engage in speculation, I'm going to engage in the rigorous analysis of the situation based on the conditions and the plans that I'm aware of in my conversations with the President. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley The mixed messages from the Pentagon and the White House come as the Taliban launched a major military offensive against the Afghan government. The attack prompted US military aircraft to carry out a series of airstrikes against Taliban fighters in recent days.
Former national security adviser John Bolton didn't mince words after US President Donald Trump vetoed the annual bill to fund the US military. Trump's chief complaint with the bill is that it called for the renaming of military bases named after Confederate military figures. The must-pass, $741 billion bill was passed with widespread bipartisan support. According to Business Insider, Bolton told Trump to 'get out of the way,' and said Trump was 'not a conservative.' Trump's former national security adviser also described Trump's 'destructive' veto as a 'purely gratuitous action' and 'selfish.' There's very little you can do to repair your reputation, but for God's sakes, get out of the way of the national security of the US and get out of the way of our efforts to overcome the pandemic. John Bolton Former National Security Adviser, Trump Administration
The Defense Business Board is a Pentagon advisory group that has recently undergone a purge at the hands of the Trump administration. Now, one of the survivors of that purge has resigned in protest. Business Insider reports Steve Blank wrote in his resignation letter that President Donald Trump's administration has endangered the nation. My service to the Department of Defense was a service to the country not to a party. I hereby tender my resignation. Steve Blank Former Member, US Defense Business Board Business Insider reports the purge of the Defense Business Board last week followed the removal of most of the Defense Policy Board late last month. The Trump administration has also purged much of the Pentagon's civilian leadership, clearing the way for loyalists to fill top posts. All the vacancies created by the purge are to be filled by Trump loyalists.
CNN reports President Donald Trump's associates are making appeals to him in the hopes of obtaining pardons before he leaves office. The appeals come on the heels of Trump's decision to pardon his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn. Nine individuals in Trump's orbit, including Flynn and GOP operative Roger Stone, have been indicted or found guilty of various criminal conspiracies. A source says one such individual asking for a free pass is Trump's personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani. Recently, Giuliani has been leading the President's longshot legal battles to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Prior to the election, Giuliani was actively seeking 'oppo research' on Hunter Biden for Biden's business dealings in Ukraine.
When Defense Secretary Mark Esper was 'terminated' from his position by President Donald Trump on Monday, lawmakers sounded the alarm. Esper, Trump's fifth defense secretary, was replaced with National Counterterrorism Center Director Christopher Miller in an acting capacity. According to Business Insider, even lawmakers who were previously critical of Esper's policies were taken aback. Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) said Trump's 'childish' and 'reckless' firing before the projected presidential transition in January could destabilize the Pentagon. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was blunt with her remarks in a brief statement. The abrupt firing of Secretary Esper is disturbing evidence that President Trump is intent on using his final days in office to sow chaos in our American Democracy and around the world. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi